They've Got Something To Talk About
by VisualIDentificationZeta
Summary: HarmJen; SUMMARY: following tradition, scuttlebutt is the essential part of any military command, even such a distinguished one as JAG Corps. Sometimes it doesn't take much to get the rumors started and mostly the rumors take a life of their...more inside
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: They've Got Something To Talk About

AUTHOR: VIDZ

PAIRING: Harm/Jen

SEASON: 9

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc of the TV show JAG are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fic. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: title is subject to change, I'm not really satisfied with it, but decided to stop stalling posting the story just because I didn't like the title.

PS: don't worry, I'm working on the new chapter for "When...".

SUMMARY: following tradition, scuttlebutt is the essential part of any military command, even such a distinguished one as JAG Corps. Sometimes it doesn't take much to get the rumors started and mostly the rumors take a life of their own. What happens when such scuttlebutt comes to the ears of the wrong person?

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The Sergeant turned to look at the young guard standing next to him.

"Did I see that right, Lance Corporal?"

"What, sir?"

"Did Coates really give Rabb's briefcase to him?"

"So, sir?"

Exasperated look "Do you realize what this means?"

Skeptic look.

Bigger exasperation "If she brought him his briefcase that means he forgot it at her place and since it's morning and he was obviously at her place, what do you think that means?"

"Coates and Rabb..." the skepticism was still strong in his voice.

"The birds and the bees and the educated Sailors, Corporal. If the birds and the bees do it, why shouldn't Navy personnel too?"

The Corporal considered this for a moment, then decided to get the whole picture from his girlfriend when they met for breakfast. He'd been stationed here for only a few weeks now while she'd been there for 3 years, so she was bound to know more about the people stationed here than he.

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THREE HOURS AND TWO PEOPLE LATER

JAG HQ

"Sylvia!"

"Huh? Oh, Tina, hey, good morning."

"It definitely is." the first woman's grin was wide "Did you hear? Commander Rabb and Petty Officer Coates were seen kissing in the parking lot!"

"Noooo..." a disbelieving shake of the head.

"It's true." the first woman insisted.

"Really?" the second woman looked dubious.

"Yeah. Just talked to Betty in Data Storage, her guy told her. The CDR had his tongue so far down Jennifer's throat it was in her stomach!"

"Ew." the second Seaman grimaced at the description, but quickly shepherded her friend to a private place so she could get all the dirt.

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Sylvia saw Coates pass by her with hands full of documents for the lawyers. Sylvia's eyes widened when she noticed the slightly older woman head to CDR Rabb's office and close the door. The blinds were already closed... Maybe there _was_ something to what she'd been told...

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FIVE PEOPLE LATER

"Hey, you'll never guess what..."

"Really? What?"

"Rabb and the old man's Yeoman are sleeping together."

Snort "That's nothing new."

Dismissive wave "Those were just rumors, everyone knows that. Coates was even still on the Seahawk back then. This one is real."

"For sure?"

"For sure, cross my heart and swear to die!"

"Sooo?"

"I've got it from a reliable source that they were seen having sex on the hood of his car in front of a nightclub last Friday night. They were really going at it hot and heavy and when she came Coates screamed so hard she set off car alarms three rows down. Then they had to run because someone had called the cops."

"No!"

"Yes. For sure! The guards actually saw her return his briefcase this morning - he obviously forgot it at her place when he left for work today and they say he then made out with her in thanks."

"Huh."

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ANOTHER 7 PEOPLE LATER

BREAK ROOM

VEHICLE ACQUISITION DEPARTMENT

"I mean, come on! It's, like, totally obvious! You know?"

"Chyeah! Totally!"

"She's totally hitting that, who wouldn't, he is, like, H.O.T.!"

Agreeing nod and a need to brag with secret information "They're, like, married and have babies, like, from before she came here."

But that information was already old news "I know, totally weird. Babies and marriage are like totally hard and freaky and stuff! And they, like, got hitched and knocked up when she was still totally on that boat in front of Africa."

"Totally." the other girl sighed in agreement as she sipped her tea.

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**Reviews are love.**


	2. Chapter 2

Dear friends from the warmer climates:

You wouldn't believe me how much I envy you (except for those of you in Sydney who got snow in summer...). While there's been a momentary warm-up this week, until just days ago it's been so cold that the sea has frozen solid...

No joke, the sea in and around the coastal dalmatian town of Šibenik (pronounced: Sheebehneeck) the sea turned into ice... And that in the Adriatic, a part of the Mediterranean...

I don't know if I ever mentioned this or not, but I hate snow and cold and ice and sludge and all those "delights" that come with winter (cold, crazy drivers, horrible roads, no motorcycle until March,...). Believe me, "hate" is NOT an exaggeration of my feelings towards this particular season.

So, I wish you more lovely weather during what is the winter in the northern hemisphere while hoping our next summer will be more stable and not so horribly humid.

And HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE (if you have them, of course)!

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Chegwidden was nearing the photocopy room when he heard two female voices gossiping in hushed voices and decided to listen in for a minute what they were talking about. Some of the best info could be scavanged that way.

"You're really trying to tell me they're married?"

Chegwidden's ears perked up. This was gonna be interesting.

"Yeah."

"These aren't just rumors, are they?"

"No, this is the truth, trust me. One of the guards assured me they've been seen coming at work at the same time ever since New Year's. Besides, just look at their body language, the way they look at each other, the intimate way their bodies take when they talk, the way they smile when they see the other... These two are certifiably in love."

"Then why are they hiding?"

"Are you kidding me? If the old man found out about them he would lock him up and throw her out of the Navy."

Chegwidden scowled, he didn't like being called the old man, but it was nothing he had any control of, it's the habit in the Navy that the commanding officer is always called "the old man". Hell, he himself had called his COs that...

"What about LtCol MacKenzie? Everyone's been saying for years that the CDR is carrying a torch for her."

Chegwidden's eyes widened. Commander RABB?

"Oh, please, that bitch has been in heat after every new guy that comes along for years! Right now she's boffing that spook, wonder who's she'll "fall in love with" next week."

AJ frowned and for a second entertained the thought of walking inside and disciplining the disrespectful woman, but decided to let it slide this time, he needed the info more. Besides, it's not like she didn't voice anything the others weren't already thinking.

"And she's pregnant?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, just look at her breasts."

"What do you mean?"

"They've grown a cup or two in the last 2 months and what's the only reason breasts will grow on their own for?"

"What if they're not natural and she had them augmented again? They're kinda big for naturals..."

"They're real, trust me, saw her in the gym's showers last week. They're definitely not fake, unlike Mac's." she said the nickname with a derisive sneer.

Chegwidden's eyebrows rose. This woman definitely didn't like the fickle Marine.

"You sure don't like MacKenzie." it was as if her friend had read the Admiral's mind.

"I don't. I hate her. People like her, who think they can get away with everything, women like her who think they can get away with everything just because of what's between their legs and on their chests, just piss me off. I also hate cheaters and people who play with those that are in love with them. That's three strikes against her already. I could go on, there are plenty more reasons why that woman goes on my nerve, but I'll stop here."

Even though he hated to admit it, the woman had made several excellent observations of Mac's character and Chegwidden couldn't help but wonder how come the fickle Marine was still in the service. He didn't need to wonder for long, he shared some of the fault after all. She really _did_ flaunt her body and her sexual appeal and he'd been lapping it up like a horny dog for the last 7 years, forgiving and ignoring crap she did that would have him and _had_ had him oblitterate anyone else.

The second woman decided to change the topic "What do you think they'll do when Coates is too far along to hide it?"

His eyes bulged and his face went red.

COATES?

COATES and RABB were married? And having a kid if he was to believe these two women?

He was gonna kill Rabb!

No, wait, he was gonna throw the book at him and...

He didn't realize just how well the woman who hated Mac had pegged him as he silently plotted the demise of the best lawyer the Navy's JAG Corps had ever seen.

Hold on, he couldn't really do anything, JAG had to come first. They were still horribly understaffed, Rabb was still doing 85 percent of the caseload and Imes' files, Coates was running the entire office by herself and the old man genuinely liked the young woman. The office couldn't run without either of them, much less both of them and Chegwidden knew that if he did anything bad to one of them, the other would either demand a transfer or resign. If anything, the previous year had shown crystal clear just how essential they were to the smooth running and morale in the office.

No matter how much he hated the thought, he was gonna have to find a way to keep them both on the staff and make it legal if Coates was really...

Walking off he couldn't help but wonder how he could've completely missed the fact that his Yeoman, the person he saw most, was pregnant. Perhaps he really had distanced himself from everyone...

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Jen walked through the bullpen, uncomfortably aware of at least two surreptitive gazes aimed at her.

She stopped and looked around, but everyone seemed to be busy with their workload.

Scanning her eyes one last time she then awkwardly resumed her trek to her office.

As soon as she was gone two pairs of eyes raised and met.

"You're right, she's definitely pregnant again. Did you see those beginnings of a baby belly?"

"I told you so!" the other person crowed triumphantly.

Suddenly a third person piped up "What are you two talking about?"

A cautious look around before the first started "Well, it's like this..."

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**Reviews are love.**


	3. Chapter 3

I'm really relieved you're liking this fic.

Here's the next part as promised, I think you'll find all the answers to your questions here.

Btw., can anyone from the UK tell me what kind of weather and traffic you're having? I ordered a couple of things from UK and they're taking a rather long time to arrive. Thanks!

Happy New Year!

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Jen walked through the bullpen, uncomfortably aware of at least two surreptitive gazes aimed at her.

She stopped and looked around, but everyone seemed to be busy with their workload.

Scanning her eyes one last time she then awkwardly resumed her trek to her office.

As soon as she was gone two pairs of eyes raised and met.

"You're right, she's definitely pregnant again. Did you see those beginnings of a baby belly?"

"I told you so!" the other person crowed triumphantly.

Suddenly a third person piped up "What are you two talking about?"

A cautious look around before the first started "Well, it's like this..."

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"Commander Rabb and Petty Officer Coates reporting as ordered, sir!"

"Be seated."

They did so and the Admiral leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he contemplated them.

The silent observation went on for over 2 minutes before the anxiety and confusion was too big and they quickly locked gazes questioningly.

This made the man frown as he realized they were actually having a silent conversation right in front of him.

"I called you here because there's something we need to discuss."

"Sir?" since he was the higher ranking one it fell on Harm to do the talking for them both.

"First, I'd just like to say I'm really disappointed in you two that you decided against telling me. I would expect something like that from Rabb, but not from you, Coates. I must say, you really disappointed me. Further more, a lot could've been avoided had you two told me. For example I wouldn't have had to explain to the SecNav why I wanted him to get your files from the CIA, Commander, when Kershaw refused to talk to me. The SecNav didn't get anywhere either, btw.."

"What are you saying, sir?" asked Harm, dread and apprehension filling him.

"I'm saying, CDR," Chegwidden positively growled "that it's time for you two to come clean, stop pretending and hiding and update your Page 2!"

"Page 2?" Coates repeated, she and Harm looking at each other in bewilderment "Why?"

Realization struck with the force of a sledgehammer "But we're not married, sir!" she cried, appalled.

Chegwidden froze, then cautiously said "You sure? You're not trying to lie to me, are you?"

"No!" Harm and Jen echoed.

"You sure?"

"Yes!"

"So you don't have any children?" he made sure to check.

Harm and Jen once again looked at each other "No, sir."

"And you're not pregnant with the CDR's child? While I normally don't listen to rumors, these were very detailed and quite convincing. And with the way you two've been behaving lately they made too much sense. Besides, there were reliable witnesses that confirmed several elements."

"No, sir." she thought it best to make it clear "I'm not pregnant with anybody's child. I've never been pregnant at all."

"Admiral, sir?" Jen's voice had changed from indignant to wary "How did they get the idea I'm pregnant?"

"They're just rumors, Coates." AJ tried to deflect.

"I know that, sir, but I also know that every rumor has some truth to it. Now, sir, I would really like to know..."

"Why?" internally recognizing he sounded like a petulant 5 year old Chegwidden nonetheless continued glaring at his Yeoman, who unfortunately didn't seem phased. He'd namely glared at her so much over the past year she'd become immune to it.

"I would like to know what gave them that impression. If I know that, then I'll be able to avoid it the next time."

Damn, why did she have to sound so reasonable.

"They just noticed some changes." he waved dismissively, but failed to count on Jen's tenacious personality.

"What kind of changes, sir?"

"..."

"Sir, please tell me."

A mumble.

Jen knew she had stepped WAY over the line in the manner she was talking to her CO, but it was obviously something he didn't want her to know, which was making her doubly determined to find out.

"What was that, sir?"

"They noticed some changes..." Chegwidden looked up to glare directly into her eyes, not backing down anymore "With your chest. It apparently grew in the past few months."

Even though he was embarrassed himself Harm couldn't help but be amused at how becomingly Jen's face had coloured, the difference starkly visible against her white uniform. Chegwidden was past being embarrassed and was plainly pissed at his Yeoman for pushing the subject.

"Oh." Jen's voice was a small squeak and this time Harm couldn't keep in a chuckle.

For his trouble he got two fierce glares aimed at him.

Finally Jen cleared her throat, looking at the ground "For the record, sir... I was on birth control to regulate... things... I had horrible headaches because of that pill, so my doctor had me switch to another and that was what caused the change..."

Interestingly Jen turned from red to white then, when she remember something their CO had said earlier "Admiral, you told the Secretary of the Navy you suspected the Commander and I are hiding a marriage and children?"

"Yes." the Admiral sounded and looked petulant "Kershaw refused to hand over your personnel files, Rabb, so I tried to get them through Sheffield. He's still grateful you got him off the hook, Mr Rabb, so he made damn sure I understood he's giving you his blessing and that I'm not allowed to bring any charges against you."

The growl in the Admiral's voice let on his displeasure with the order.

"Frankly, I don't care what your real situation is, but I will not be made a fool." he then stated adamantly "Especially not by my subordinates. And I will not allow the JAG and the Navy come out looking ridiculous, even if that means I have to protect the SecNav too. Is that clear?"

They jumped to their feet "Aye, aye, sir!"

"Good."

Warily, Harm inquired "What does that mean, sir?"

Chegwidden took his glasses off and leaned forward on his elbows on his desk "What that means, CDR, is that the SecNav gets what the SecNav wants, no matter how you two feel about that. Even if you two see each other as nothing but a long lost sister and brother, when it concerns the SecNav you two are married, even if you're not. The SecNav believes two of my subordinates are married, it had better not come out they're not. Anyone asks, you two have tied the knot, any knot. Is that clear?"

Aghast, Harm and Jen's eyes met again. This wasn't good.

"Sir..."

"I said, is that clear?"

The Admiral glowered at them, his meaning perfectly clear, either you comply or I tear you apart, and Harm and Jen knew this was one of those times in the military when you had to say "I''ll just have to screw up my private life forever and obey the orders for the good of the Navy", no matter what that might mean for them.

"Aye, sir." they conceded, hanging their heads in defeat.

"Good." Chegwidden nodded satisfied "You can get "divorced" in about a year. Now get the hell out of my sight."

They came to attention and mutely left the office.

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Two beaten down figures emerged into the front office, where one dropped into her chair while the other aimed towards the bullpen with slumped shoulders.

He was about to walk through the door when something struck him.

"Hey, something just occured to me. If the Admiral called the SecNav, who then called Kershaw and at least some of it went through the channels and there were secretaries and phone operators involved..."

"Then by tomorrow evening half of DC will think we're married." concluded Jen, moaning in desperation.

"And because of that, because such high-ups got involved with it, by the end of the week the entire JAG will believe the rumors are true." Harm finished "Which means that practically everyone we'll meet from now on will think we're together."

Two sets of wide eyes met as what this meant sunk in. The chances of starting a relationship with someone else than the other would be impossible since that person would either think they were married or would eventually "be clued in" by someone else, made to think they were 'the other man/woman'.

Which practically made the chances for a relationship with someone else practically zero.

Shaken, Harm turned back around "I'll... I'll see you later."

Jen nodded, watching as he started to walk away.

_' Come on, Jen, you can do this' _Jen told herself, taking a deep breath _' This is your big chance, this is what you've been wishing for for so many years and now you've given on a silver platter.'_

"Commander?" she called out softly.

Harm halted and turned around, a question in his eyes "Yes?"

Giving a strained smile, Jen's lips trembled from nerves "Would you have dinner with me? Tonight?"

His eyebrows shot up "You mean, like a date?"

The quick jerk of her head was meant to be a nod "Yeah, date. Mattie's sleeping over at Janice's, so..."

A gentle smile curved Harm's lips "Sure. But let me cook, okay? I had something special planned for tonight."

Letting out a long exhale of air Jen grinned "It's a date."

Nodding in confirmation, Harm sent her one last grin before leaving her office.

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**Reviews are love.**


	4. Epilogue

RECAP: Harm and Jen are rumored to be secretly married and having a kid with Jen pregnant with the next one, Chegwidden calls Kershaw for Harm's personal files during his tenure with the CIA whether there was anything about this in them, to confirm or dismiss the rumor, Kershaw refuses, Chegwidden goes to SecNav (Secretary of the Navy) Sheffield as the big guns, Sheffield misunderstands and honestly believes H&J are married, tries to force Kershaw for the files but fails, then forbids Chegwidden from bringing charges for fraternization against Harm and Jen. The last part ended with Chegwidden finding out from them that it was just a rumor and they're not even a couple, but in his anger reveals to them his orders from the SecNav (which he immediately regrets) and orders them that they have to from now on play a married couple to avoid making the him and the SecNav into fools because the SecNav believes they are married and would surely publicly state they are married at one point or the other, in if that was opposite to what they were claiming they would thus discredit the SecNav, the Navy, the JAG and themselves.

Whew, I think I need to take a breath now. :P

Rent "The Russians Have Landed" ASAP! Saw it on Saturday, lol, talk about rumors getting a life of their own, along with the movie actually having a message and a positive one. I haven't laughed that hard while watching a movie in a long time.

FOR DRAMATICAL REASONS I SWITCHED THE TIMELINE OF "STRAITS OF MALACCA" AND "BRIDGING THE GULF" - you'll know why when you get to it.

Huge thanks to Saissa, Michi uk, marye904, Vesja, anon, Lynnp, fart fart, unwittysidekick and jojobevco.

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Over the rim of the undoubtebly spiked punch he was sipping the retired Admiral observed the party-goers. He couldn't help but smirk at how everyone relaxed as soon as Cresswell and his wife had made their goodbyes. Though they still weren't as carefree as they could be. While not as jumpy and tense as while he'd still been their CO, not even his retired status had managed to make them regard him as anything but a commanding officer.

He sighed, that would never changed, it was something that came with the job, something you accepted as a trade-off for the rank, power and bigger pay-check.

Coincidentally he'd been near DC when the invitation for the welcoming-into-the-world party for the newest addition to the large-and-ever-growing Roberts family had reached him.

Safe in his place in the corner of the room he had the perfect spot to observe everyone.

The hosts were looking pretty rough, no wonder what with four small children, one of them admittedly spoiled and with a tendency for temper tantrums, a toddler and two newborns. Neither of the couple was that young anymore and they were beginning to show they were barely keeping up. The once so stable marriage was showing increasingly wider cracks and Chegwidden couldn't help but wonder why did they keep on doing this to themselves, having more children and insisting on throwing all the parties for the office, when it was obvious they were at the point of a breakdown, in more ways than one.

Did they really think making more kids would save their crumbling marriage? Thousands of other couples had tried that tactic before them and _not one_ had ever made it, they'd just postponed the end for a couple of years in exhange for making it even more horrible, traumatic and messy.

Neither did Roberts look particularly happy over the increasingly patronizing, condescending, overbearing and dominating personality his once quiet and gentle wife was taking on. She was treating him more like a retarded child of hers rather than an equal partner. After knowing the two for so long he could feel Bud's quietly growing resentment and felt sadness at what was happening to the once model relationship. Chegwidden could foresee some major problems with that marriage in the future and honestly wondered whether what they still had was strong enough to survive.

CDR Turner was standing in a corner by himself, visibly uncomfortable and awkward, everyone being quite obvious at avoiding him. The man had taken by-the-book and that stick up his ass to perverse and sickening new levels, recommending a friend of 20+ years to face murder charges with basically no real evidence and no real investigation. With that act he seemed to have gambled away any last shred of sympathy, trust, belief and liking he had previously (if ever) enjoyed. He had obviously lost sight of a tree in favor of the whole forest. The son of a preacher had become more catholic than the Pope himself.

There were a couple of new faces, junior officers and enlisted, as it was usual in every command. They had introduced themselves to him, but except for one LT none of them had felt comfortable in the old man's presence.

The memory of how the young man had tried to suck up to him made the old Admiral's mouth curl in a sneer of disgust. How could Cresswell, who seemed such an intelligent man, have made such a great error in judgement? The sleazy LT had completely duped the General, made him into a stupid fool, a mockery of authority. Neither did it escape the old Admiral the way the man worked every woman in the room, to mixed responses. Some avoided him, some tolerated it, some liked it and some lapped it up, like a certain Marine Lt Colonel.

The Marine LtCol who was alternating from engaging in some sick mating ritual and eye-sex with him to glaring balefully at a Navy Commander talking to a couple of enlisted and Ensigns in a corner.

While he almost, almost, felt a pang of regret at the memory of that woman's reaction to a particular piece of news last year and the even worse way she treated from then on the man who'd once loved her with everything he had in him, Chegwidden mainly felt satisfaction for having been the one to finally force an ending to the endless destructive circling the two had seemed to be caught in for at least the last five years.

Chegwidden didn't know about anything that had happened since he'd left their lives, but could see nothing had changed, except that MacKenzie was riding that spin of self-destruction even faster, still trying to take everyone else with her.

The man had the worst luck with friends the older man had ever seen.

With friends like that, who needed enemies?

Thankfully not with every single one of them... On the other side of the room a young woman was holding one of the newborns in her arms, a genuine smile firmly on her lips as she looked down at it, as the man of his thoughts looked on with a gentle, wistful smile of his own. AJ hadn't been part of these people's lives for almost a year and he'd never been close to them to start with, but not even he had missed the deep, devoted friendship between the two younger people, the kind they'd had even before that whole mess with rumors, SecNav, Kershaw,...

Abandoning his lone post the Admiral slowly weaved his way through the crowd to the other man.

"Rabb."

"Admiral."

"I'm retired now, Mr Rabb."

Harm flashed a quick, mischevious grin "Mr Chegwidden."

The older man sighed, as he nodded in acknowledgement of the dig "Call me AJ."

Narrowing his eyes at the younger man, when his eyes started to glint, he almost growled "Just 'AJ'."

Harm's smile dimmed, but didn't vanish.

"AJ." he repeated, then grimaced, as if he'd swollen a lemon. It just didn't feel right, 24 years of wearing the uniform too much a part of him.

"Sir." he said decisively with finality in his tone, nodding and the pensioner couldn't do anything but give up.

Rabb's other half joined them then, having given back the baby as soon as she'd spied the Admiral approaching her boyfriend, his arm wrapping around her slim shoulder with the air of familiarity as she settled into his side.

Chegwidden's eyebrow raised at this.

"You know, you two can get "divorced" now. No need to keep up appearances any longer."

They paused for a second, then their eyes met in what Chegwidden could swear was a silent conversation. What the hell was going on? Silent conversations were a thing of couple and not pretend-couples...

"Well?" he finally asked impatiently, fed up with their silence and mute looks.

"Well, sir, we thought about it..." started Rabb slowly.

"We really did." agreed Coates, then muttered "For about a tenth of a second."

"But then we decided we're good together. Real good."

Chegwidden shook his head slowly, in shock "Yeah, I can see that..."

"We were playing a couple for 6 months before we realized we weren't just pretending anymore. We talked and decided to exploit the opportunity we've been given."

Chegwidden nodded and took another small sip of his punch, before thinking of another question.

"Are you planning on making the rumors true?"

This time Jen answered "We're taking this slow, so it's a little soon to answer that, sir. I love Harm, but we both want to make sure what we have is real and it can last. Neither of us wants to make a mistake that will then prove costly and time-consuming to undo."

"Good to see that Navy scholarship for Psychology is already paying off." AJ praised Jen, his eyes twinkling.

Jen smiled in thanks, still reading him like a book, knowing he was more commending them on proceeding with this so intellegently. Their front row seats to the tragic show of a failing marriage made them even more determined to go about this the right way, the way that would insure they wouldn't follow the other couple's example.

After that they stood quietly for a couple of minutes, just observing the party, until Harm broke the silence.

"You know, sir, it's amazing the way life works."

"What do you mean?" he turned to the younger man.

Harm to the young woman in his arms and gave her an affectionate squeeze "I think it's time to fess up."

Jen smiled.

"We found out last year what got those rumors started." she started with an impish grin, chuckling together with her boyfriend in rememberance.

"Aaand?" prompted the old man impatiently.

"It all began with one lost briefcase." Harm stated, breaking out into a laugh "It's actually my briefcase's fault. And of course my absentmindedness that day was to blame too."

"Explain!" demanded AJ sternly.

Jen looked at her fiancee with an affectionate scowl as he just continued to cackle. Then she shook her head fondly in exasperation and took it upon herself to explain.

"Harm forgot his briefcase on the floor in front of his apartment door when he locked up that day and just left without it. When I was leaving for work, I saw it still sitting there, so I took it with me and returned it when I caught up to him in the JAG's parking lot."

"Yeah." Harm went on, still chuckling "Apparently two guards saw that, one of them told his girlfriend, who told her friend, who told _her _friend and so forth, along the way the story got some new twists and that's how the snowball got rolling. So it went from a simple, innocent return of lost property to some clandestine marriage."

Chegwidden chuckled together with the rest of them, shaking his head at how such a small thing can give fuel to people's imaginations to the point it can change lives. Thankfully this time the end-result was positive, though he knew all too well how close it had come to everything ending badly.

His first reaction upon hearing the rumor, analyzing their recent behaviour and actually finding snippets that collaborated with the story, and then Kershaw's stubborn refusal to hand over Harm's personal files having made the suspicion worse; was to throw the book at them, ruining two lives and marvelous careers in the process.

Now with hindsight he was nothing but thankful for Sheffield's intervention and almost visionary demand they were to be allowed to be together.

Otherwise the Navy would've lost two excellent people, people it could in these times ill afford losing.

He couldn't imagine what it had been like for them, the last 12 months, suddenly becoming the main talk of the DC circles, being under everyone's scrutiny, all the suspicions, wild theories, evil glares, malicious rumors, jealousy, envy,... Even though he knew most of the JAG staff had taken it pretty well as they all liked the modest, sweet Petty Officer and the friendly Commander, there were staff members with acidic tongues and unfriendly personalities that had not made things pleasant, chief among them a brunette Marine with stunning looks but revolting personality.

The rest of the party until he said his farewells was spent with the couple he had until a year ago never imagined would end up together.

Honestly?

He was proud. One of the last things he'd done as the JAG had obviously been pretty good (even if it had been against his will at the time) and he had some great karma coming his way. Harm and Jen were clearly happy together and loved each other deeply and devotedly and the fact they were still going strong after what must've been a really tough year bode well for them.

Even though they were clearly stepping very carefully in this relationship it was obvious to the retired SEAL these two were destined to make it where so many had failed before them.

They would **not** become a statistic.

He firmly believed the sight that he had beheld earlier would someday soon become reality, but this time Jen wouldn't be holding someone else's baby, but hers and Harm's.

But that's another story.

THE END OF THE BEGINNING

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